President Cyril Ramaphosa has departed for New York, where he will represent South Africa at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The annual High-Level Week runs from 23 to 29 September 2025 under the theme: “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.”
Ramaphosa is expected to deliver his address on Tuesday, focusing on multilateralism, peaceful conflict resolution, and the protection of human rights. As current Chair of the G20, he will also bring a strong message from the Global South, calling for fairer representation in global decision-making.
South Africa plans to advocate for reforms to the UN Security Council to make it more representative and effective, while stressing the importance of peace, sustainable development, and human rights. The president will also highlight the unequal impact of global crises on developing nations and press for greater cooperation to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
The delegation’s agenda includes discussions on conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine. High-level meetings will also focus on trade, investment, and the two-state solution in Israel-Palestine.
Accompanying the president are several ministers, including Ronald Lamola (International Relations), Parks Tau (Trade and Industry), Sindisiwe Chukunga (Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities), Dion George (Forestry, Fisheries and Environment), Maropene Ramokgopa (Planning and Evaluation), Aaron Motsoaledi (Health), and Mondli Gungubele (Communications).
Ramaphosa’s visit is seen as a crucial moment for South Africa to showcase its leadership on the global stage and reinforce its role as a trusted mediator in times of international crisis.